She was given the RAW in WAR Anna Politkovskaya Award, named after the Russian investigative journalist who was shot dead seven years ago next Monday. Malala is also among the favourites for the Nobel Peace Prize, which will be announced on October 11.

The 16-year-old was presented with the award in London and said she hoped she could be "as brave as (Politkovskaya) was".

The award was presented by the so-called "British Schindler", Nicholas Winton, now 104, who in 1939 saved the lives of more than 600 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia as World War II was about to start.